Positive
by Sam5
Summary: Jody finds she is pregnant with Cooper's baby
1. Default Chapter

Charlie and Jody are at Jody's apartment. They are not dating anymore because of the hectic schedule.

"Charlie. I, uh..:" Jody spoke, tears welling up in her eyes. "I, I.."

"Jody? What's the matter?' he said rushing to hold her.

"Charlie please don't."

"What, I can't hold you? Since when?"

"I don't deserve it Charlie, I don't deserve you."

"Jody I-"

"I have to go." Jody runs out of the room crying. Charlie is confused and rises to leave as

well, but when getting up he sees something on the table. He walks over to it. Picks it up.

"A pregnancy test..."

Later-

Jody has just returned from rehearsals and discovers Charlie is still there, holding

her secret.

"I thought you'd gone."

"Why didn't you tell me."

"Because it's not your responsibility, and I understand. I understand if you don't want to

see me anymore."

"Jody I wouldn't just..just."

"It's all right Charlie. You don't have to say anything. Just leave. I need to be alone" she said gently. Charlie walked to the door and opened it.

"This doesn't make me love you any less you know." And the door shut.

"How am I gonna tell Cooper?"

THE NEXT DAY:

Walking into the rehearsal hall Jody caught Cooper's eye.

"Jody!"

"Hi. um, Cooper, do you have a minute?"

"For you, of course." The walked outside of the room into the hall. Jody bit her lip in fear.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Well, uh.I'm, I'm late and-"

"Oh don't worry about it , we were running behind anyway."

"No, I mean, I'm LATE." She whispered Silence. Cooper stared at her intently.

"Oh." He said quietly. The tears that had been rising in Jody's eyes began to trickle down her cheeks.

"Oh Jody." Cooper said, going to hold her. "Jody, it's all right."

"What?" she replied looking up at him.

"It's okay." he brushed hair out of her eyes.

"Your not mad, you-"

"This doesn't make me love you any less"

"What?" she said in shock.

"Do you really feel like rehearsing today? You could uh.. take the day off if you want." "Really" "I really should work on music and background today anyway."

"All right." Cooper turned to return to the rehearsal room. "I love you. Ya know?" he said staring at the floor. Silence.

He walked in the room the door closing behind him. "Yeah... I know."


	2. Chapter 2

Jody was totally confused. Both of the men in her life were taking the news so, so…well! Better than she was. She hadn't even told her parents yet.

She spent the day walking around in Central Park. The children playing seemed to stand out more to her now. What am I going to do?

I can't kill something so precious. Life. I couldn't live with myself if I did.

But my life will change… dancing…everything.

I want to keep dancing… but will I be able to do that with a child? Her thoughts went round in circles in much the same fashion all day.

She took a cab back to her apartment and arrived home about 5pm. Charlie was there sitting on the couch.

"Hi."

"Where have you been?" Charlie asked.

"I went to the studio today to see if you wanted to grab lunch but Cooper said you took the day off."

"Yeah, he told me to take the day off."

"I guess you told him then."

"Yeah." She sighed.

"How did he take it? I mean besides giving you the day off? What did he say?"

"Actually, not much. He kind of rushed me off. I hope he knows that I told him because it was _his_." She stared at the ground becoming more depressed. "I still can't believe all of this." She sat down next to Charlie on the couch.

"Yeah."

They sat next to each other for a moment, trying to absorb. Charlie put his arm around her and she laid her head on his chest.

An hour later the phone rang and Jody got up to get it. She glanced at Charlie and saw that he was asleep. She rushed to the phone.

"Hello?"

"Jody?"

"Cooper?"

"How are you?"

"I…I'm good. You know, better." Jody moved into the kitchen so as to be out of Charlie's ear shot.

"I'm glad."

"Listen, Cooper. I don't want to insult your intelligence or anything but… what I told you today. You do know why I told you, right?"

"I think so."

"It's yours."

Silence.

"Cooper?"

"I'm here."

"You knew that didn't you?" Jody asked desperately.

"Yeah. I mean, yes, I did."

All was quiet.

"What do you think of that?" Jody asked, breaking the silence.

"I'll be honest; I really don't know what to think. It's your decision you know. Whatever you want to do is fine with me."

"I'm going to have it."

"Okay. So, I guess we'll just go from here. You can dance for as long as you are able, or feel comfortable with, or whatever the doctor says or…"

"It'll be okay, Cooper. I know this isn't something we planned. I don't expect you to raise it or… I will need some help, financially since I won't be dancing for a little while anyway."

"Of course."

Jody let out a small laugh of disbelief of the situation.

"Jody I know things have been… well they have just been strange since your graduation from the academy but… I am prepared to help you in any way possible. _Any_ way."

"Thanks, Cooper. I really appreciate that."

"I mean… you are going to need someone. You are going to need someone with you. I… Are you coming in tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Count on it."

"Great. We, uh… we can talk then. Or call me tonight if you need to, I mean, I'm here."

"Let's just sleep on it."

"Yeah, you're right."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow Cooper."

"Talk to you tomorrow."

"Night."

Click.

She went to the living room to put the phone back on the reciever. Charlie was staring at her.

"I didn't know you were up." she said.

"Yeah. What did Cooper have to say, Jody?"

"You heard, huh?"

Charlie nodded.

"We just cleared some things up was all. Nothing major."

"Does he plan to help you at all?"

"Yes." She said defensively. "Yes, he does."

"Let me guess. Money?"

"Yes." she said.

"But he's willing to let you do the grunt work."

"Grunt work?"

"Raise the kid, change diapers, stay up nights!"

She was taken aback at his sudden outburst. "We haven't settled everything, Charlie.

He just found out today. Look, I don't want to talk about this right now. I just want to

go to bed."

"I'm sorry, Jody, I just want what's best for you. I don't want him to get off scot free, you know? I mean he did this, he should have a part."

"It takes two Charlie... I'll see you in the morning. You sleeping here tonight?"

"Yeah."

"Goodnight then."

"Night."

Jody started to walk to her room. "Charlie."

"Yeah?"

"I do appreciate you being here and just... everything."

He smiled lightly at her and she trailed off to her room.


	3. Jody

When Jody woke in the morning it felt like a new world, as if she were seeing things for the first time. The sun seemed brighter, the air fresher. She couldn't explain what she was feeling. _Are the hormones kicking in already_?, she thought with a smile. There was still a lot to come and she knew it wouldn't be easy but there was more to life now than just her existence. There was a life inside of her now, and she had to prepare. She had to prove to her child, to herself that she was worthy.

How could she possibly choose between Charley and Cooper? She knew that is what they expected from her – a choice. They had a point; the baby would need a father. Cooper never had been the most dependable. The only reason the baby was Cooper's was because of a moment of weakness.

One night late after rehearsal they had stayed to work on the routine. Both perfectionists they wanted to get every detail just right. Lately, Jody felt her life was a mess. She was lonely. Her parents had been trying to call her but she was so busy with rehearsals, preparing for an upcoming performance that she hadn't had time to call them back. Each night she would go to bed looking at a picture of them that sat on her bedside table and she would think of home. She was lonely. And Cooper was there. They danced so closely, so intimate that she gave in to his advances that night. It felt so good. She knew then that she wasn't thinking, just feeling. She just wanted to be touched by someone, anyone.

"Cooper." She'd said.

He looked deep into her eyes, gently brushing the hair from her eyes and caressing her cheeks. She felt them warm at his touch. So familiar. She knew she didn't have to guide him. He knew what to do, and she didn't want to think_. I want this,_ she told herself. _I want this_. She only wished it was someone else. Her blonde hair fell all around her shoulders and she welcomed him.

"Cooper."

Now she had to live with that night and the result of that night. _At least it wasn't a one night stand_, she thought. _At least he cares for me in some way_. _But…I thought only of Charley's face that night, his heart and soul and body. _ She knew she couldn't waste time with tears. She did this now she must go on with it. _Was Charley hurt by what she'd done? _With him it was hard to tell. He didn't show his emotions so freely. He wasn't the jealous kind like Cooper. He didn't smother her or try to own her. He let her be herself. He just let her be.

_Love is patient, _

_love is kind._

She repeated these words to herself like a balm. Finally she got out of bed and started to get ready for work. It was still pretty early and she went to the kitchen to start making some coffee.

"Charley, do you want any-" she started. But he was gone. The couch was neat and looked as if no one had slept there. The blanket he'd used last night was folded and draped over the back of the couch. Jody walked over to the blanket and ran her fingers over it, cold. She picked it up and brought it to her face. It smelled like him. _Charley_. It was too early for him to go to ABC. One more breath of the sweet smell. She went to the kitchen and looked on the refrigerator door where they usually left notes for each other. Nothing.


	4. Charley

**Hey guys, sorry for the hiatus. I hope to put some new chapters and new stories up really soon so please check back. Thanks for hanging in there. **

-Charley-

Charley felt mildly guilty as he left Jody's apartment in the early hours of that morning. He knew he shouldn't. He told himself that he had no reason to feel guilty. So why was he sneaking out? That's what he was doing, wasn't it?

He still wrestled with these feelings as he walked into one of the rehearsal rooms at ABC. Eventually he found it was just easier to dance out his anger than think about it. And he definitely wanted to work it out before he could take it out on other people. After all, he wasn't mad at Jody, not really. He hadn't decided yet. He had every right to be, didn't he? He loved her. He thought she knew that. Then why would she make love to Cooper? It was hard enough in school when he found out they were together. When he found out that a man like Cooper had _had_ her it almost killed him. Then seeing Jody in such pain when he broke her heart – like Charley knew he would – why would she go back into his arms? What did Cooper have anyway, why was he so damn special that everyone fawned over him? CAN'T YOU SEE WHAT HE IS?, he wanted to scream.

He will hurt her again. The image of Jody lying in Cooper's embrace tore at his heart. So he danced. Harder and harder, faster and faster. It never ended. But the images of them together kept flooding his mind.

His fingers in her hair. _Dance Charley Dance_!

His lips on her skin. _No! No_!

Her hand on his chest, his heart. _STOP_!

Charley fell to the ground in an exhausted collapse. His breath coming in shallow gasps then lengthening into big gulps. _Air. Air. Air_. _Jody. Jody. Jody. What happened_? A few months after graduation they moved in together in the apartment that Charley lived in now. They were happy. He was happy. Was she? Then why did she leave.

Most nights Charley couldn't stand to be alone in the apartment. It still felt like she should be there and he would wake in the middle of the night and find himself reaching for her. But she was gone. What made it worse was not that he knew she was gone but that he felt it. She moved into an apartment closer to Cooper's studio which he hated. But he never thought she'd go back to the jerk. Why had they called it off in the first place?, he couldn't remember.

He felt the hard floor warming with his own body heat. Sweat still glistened on his bare arms. Too many memories, too many emotions. His eyes burned and he tried to blink away the pain. Feelings of failure and rejection filled his heart. _You're just wanting what you can't have, man. Just forget it. She doesn't want you. She let you go_. _Let her go_.

He knew that he could never let her see this part of him. He needed to be her rock, her protector. He wanted to be her companion and father of her child. Every little thing they ever did came to him. The first months of being together. Everything was new and exciting. Yes, it was terrifying at the same time but in a good way. It was like jumping off a cliff and realizing you can fly, soar. She filled his life. What more could he ever want? The perfect woman and the job of his dreams.

The first time they were together intimately he remembered they were both trembling. Both so afraid of what they were feeling, afraid of losing this precious gift. He wanted to explore every part of her. He loved to cover himself in her. Dress himself in her touch. He found himself constantly amazed that this woman was with him. Looking back now he could see his boyish ways. He was naïve. He loved her but it was not yet the love of a man – not in Charley's eyes. True, he loved more maturely than Cooper and was confident that would always be true. But Charley had been living in a world of his own illusions. Had she ever feel pressure to live up to them? She deserved more.

Back then they were in the clouds. He never wanted to come down. Never wanted it to end.

But like most things in life… it did.


End file.
